From MLive’s Ansar Khan:
Ken Holland will return as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings next season, with or without a contact, a source told MLive.
Holland’s future has been in question from the start of the season because, unlike previous years, he wasn’t extended prior to the final year of his contract.
But ownership has decided Holland, the GM since 1997, should head the rebuilding job the franchise faces after missing the postseason two years in a row, following a 25-season playoff streak.
It is unclear whether an official announcement will be made before the end of the season, but some clarity was expected before the team gathers for photo and locker cleanout day, shortly after the season finale on April 7.
Continued, and the Free Press’s George Sipple confirms:
Ken Holland is expected return as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings next season, the Free Press has learned. It’s unclear how the contract will be structured.
“He’s going to be back as the GM,” a person familiar with the situation told the Free Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Wings, who will miss the playoffs for the second straight season, have not addressed Holland’s future..
…
Holland, reached by phone on Tuesday, did not say if he will return next season.
“Two weeks from today, there’s going to be a cleanup day and a team picture day and the media is going to be focusing on the ’18-19 season and who is running the team, who is making the decision and what is the plan,” Holland said. “I know in the next 10 days, the answer to all your questions will be settled.”
Update: From the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:
Ken Holland will return as Detroit Red Wings general manager next season, a source familiar with the organization’s plans told The Detroit News on Tuesday.
The source requested anonymity because the team has not made a formal announcement regarding its leadership plans for next season.
Head coach Jeff Blashill is likely to return to the Red Wings, the source told The News.
As I said on the other thread…sickening, but not surprising.
Holland created this mess, and has shown no creativity in shedding bad contracts, even during the expansion draft. He’s on record saying rebuilds take 8 to 10 to 15 years (way to set the bar low there Kenny!). But I guess because he sold some guys at the deadline and has stockpiled some picks he’s considered the right man for the job. He’s also sat idle as his hand-picked coach has failed to develop meaningful improvements in our young players. In fact, one can argue he’s alienated several of the young players and has likely lost the room ages ago. But he’s on the payroll so might as well just give him another shot.
Pathetic. I stopped supporting these clowns financially ages ago. Would encourage others to do the same. Cancel your tickets. Cancel your TV packages. Don’t buy any merchandise. Write letters to Illitch.
Fatsavage – You are overrating… You realize that Holland has helped create an environment where we’ve made the playoffs 25 straight years… Yes we have missed 2 consecutive years but let’s look at the most successful franchises in the Salary Cap Era…
Chicago – Missing this year
Los Angeles – Has missed multiple times
Boston – Missed multiple times
Pittsburgh – longest streak with 11 seasons
To freak out over the state of the Wings is such a spoiled little brat mentality. What did you think was going to happen when we were trying to win the cup every year and trading away top draft choices in dead line deals or keeping them but drafting in the late 20s and 30th spots???
Do you realize that the casualty of winning is the fact that your players are good and performing at high levels? Do you know that once their contracts are up they don’t only get but deserve more money? Do you realize that if we offered our players short term deals or lesser dollars they wouldn’t have taken them and would have signed elsewhere, which would have cause YOU to complain at that the time that we left Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Kronwall, etc. leave for nothing??? Yes those deals look bad now, but they are aging out and will be off the books soon. Once they are off the books all these young kids will be ready to take over… We aren’t losing out on star players because of some bad contracts.
You have to step back and look at the big picture. Some of these vets like Helm, Ericsson, Daley, Nielsen are place holders until kids are ready. You can’t have a whole team of kids. And if you did who is playing for the Griffins? 18 year olds? Or 35 year old nobodies that the Wings could never develop to use?
C’mon man
Bravo. It’s easy to make decisions about 5 years ago knowing what we know now.
So are you defending the contracts handed out to Abby, Helm, Dekeyser, Nielsen? The Cleary fiasco? The awful draft strategy and execution? The continued employment of a clown coach? The inability to add talent via a trade of any kind? The use of NTCs?
That has nothing to do with where we drafted. Nothing to do with parity. It’s just death by a thousand cuts. Which many of us have warned about for years. But I guess Biv likes your comment…
CTFD.
I gather the meaning is not,,,Career Transition For Dancers’ ?
I’m tired of the concept that people have to “win” the comments section, or that only negativity is welcome here. Neither assumption is correct. I’ve had enough.
Rider, that comment killed me this morning. LOL
There should not be a rebuild…Ever. Mr. Holland has not looked to any future but this one. He believes its inevitable and has made it happen because he cannot imagine other things working… That is 500 hockey and a long view says the grade is always a “C”.
Does that sound reasonable? “Our goal is to be Average” because the NHL is rigged that way? I would fire that guy quickly.
puke.
F#ck
The candidates invited by Carolina was not an impressive group in my estimation. Is there really a better option right now? No firings at all this year.Do we really want anothers’ cast-away anyway?
Lets keep 1 year contracts going so when Mr. Draper is ready for a coup d’etat ownership wont object. When some-one is in power for decades you cant let them see its coming , or they could use their empire to prevent the REVOLUTION!
I wouldnt object to Mr. Lidstrom taking over cold turkey!
Kyle Dubas
Paul Fenton
Mike Futa
Igor Larionov
A rock. A plant. Bozo the Clown.
Lots of great options available…
P.S. these aren’t castaways. These are smart hockey people waiting for an opportunity. Waiting for someone to be fired is actually the definition of someone’s castaway. Was Yzerman a castaway?
I guess these same guys shunned Carolina because of ownership over- involvement. Not vice-versa?
I would look twice at someone who came up through the ranks and is groomed to the position, AND hasnt been fired yet. I have not heard more about them than just their names previously tho. So I’m ignorantly skeptical at the moment.
The Professor sounds like a acceptable insider . He always seemed firmly determined and fair in a ruthless way. Perfect match to my current personality toolbox requirements . Hasnt he managed in KHL a bit also?
Oh.. I heard Bozo has been let go a couple times.. I would consider him for coach tho.
Mike says:
March 27, 2018 at 6:45 PM
35 year old nobodies that the Wings could never develop to use?
Sadly Wings have kept all the Old Farts, Wings have moved out of the oldest team in the NHL. Lil Bert moved us past the Ducks.
Loyalty can be a bitch! Can’t move most of our team for a few yrs but they are Happily over paid, past their prime and secure.
All KH and he built a rebuild. That is fantastic as it will continue
for a few yrs or until a New GM inherits this mess. Do you really think a Hockey Guru wants this on his resume?
(a) The Abby & Nielsen contracts were excessive, plus the Cleary situation was questionable. The remainder are mostly 20-20 hindsight!
(b) Both the FS and Mike comments are good reads and represent good discussion/debate material.
(c) BUT PLEASE, let’s stay away from future targeted situations previously suffered both on KK and here.
(d) I still don’t trust either KH or JB, and question the Chris I. commitment to the Red Wings vs the Tigers.
Agree on all accounts. We should be discussing, not trying to necessarily prove each other wrong. We shouldn’t be “punished” (lack of better term) for disagreeing with or agreeing with someone.
Biv, I agree!!!
At the top of my list is the Wings organization, today and in the future. How Bleak it is or how long it will be..is out of my expertise.
I really never thought I would ever see the Dead Wings again. The players? Only signed on the bottom line. Most, if not all can not just go away. If I listed my fav players, you might laugh or cry.
How the Wings got here doesn’t matter and redos don’t work.
Opinions of people entered on this Blog are good to read, attcks or views on individuals or groups is a waste of CPU time.
I am praying every night for the Hide, block button, LOL. Paul and George have been really good at not sending combatants to the Gallows , me included.
Most of the issues start , not with the content but the way they are written, IMO.
That said, I feel Hicketts is one kind of player a team needs ONE of. I agree with Z on this, LOL.
Carry on and Have a Great Day!!!